St. Croix Legend Xtreme?

[Caulfield722]

I'm considering buying a new St. Croix Legend Xtreme, mostly for throwing Texas rigs and finesse jigs around 1/4 ounce. Has anybody used these rods yet and if so can you recommend any actions? I'm thinking the 7'1" MH X-Fast.

[iabass8]

Im a big fan of the xtremes. If you looking at just weights around 1/4 then the 7mf would be a better choice. Not to mention the 7mf is the most versitle rod inthe line up. You can throw 1/4 on the mh easily but if your sticking with 3/16-1/4 id use a M xtreme. The new xtremes with st. Croixs custom grip (feels nothing like the rage thankfully) are very well balanced.

[Hi Salenity]

The rod your talking about weighs 5.5 oz the same rod in the LTB "Tournament" series weighs 4.4 oz

I think they are missing the mark on the new Extremes HOWEVER, haven'tnt used one.

[Caulfield722]

Yea I don't plan on throwing anything over 1/4 too often so that makes a little more sense. And Salenity, I am a big fan of the LTB series, but I just can't get past how tip heavy they are. I have a 2009 model and I heard that they haven't completely fixed the problem with the newest lineup. I'd sacrifice that extra ounce as long as it balances well with a Lew's TP.

[Hi Salenity]

The blank the new Extreme uses is lighter than the LTB blank so it shouldn't be as tip heavy and probably more sensitive.

I'm still not sold on the handle but I'm going to buy one on Black Friday to give it a shot.

[iabass8]

Some of the 2012 xtremes were tip heavy. Not nearly as bas ss the LTB though. The new 2013 xtremes(even though heavier) dont feel that heavy as they are much more balanced. As with the other xtremes, they are very sensitive.

[TylerVC]

I have a ltb 7' mh xf and it is very stiff. I think it may be a little over powered for 1/4 oz baits. I also have a 2012 legend extreme 7' medium f, but I haven't used it enough to know if it is what your are looking for. The mh xf legend extreme would probably be great for anything 3/8 oz or up.

[skeletor6]

Yea I don't plan on throwing anything over 1/4 too often so that makes a little more sense. And Salenity, I am a big fan of the LTB series, but I just can't get past how tip heavy they are. I have a 2009 model and I heard that they haven't completely fixed the problem with the newest lineup. I'd sacrifice that extra ounce as long as it balances well with a Lew's TP.

Definitely don't go with the MH if you are going to be throwing that light of baits. The M would suit you much better for that application.

Some of the 2012 xtremes were tip heavy. Not nearly as bas ss the LTB though. The new 2013 xtremes(even though heavier) dont feel that heavy as they are much more balanced. As with the other xtremes, they are very sensitive.

Great point, its more about how the rod balances than its actual weight. Especially when considering the LTB verse the Extremes, the LTB is known for being tip heavy, I have one and it definitely is. Still a nice rod and fun to use, it just could be that much better if it were balanced correctly. Member iabass8 has had his hands on many St. Croix rods, I would take his advice and get the 7' MF xtreme.

I have a ltb 7' mh xf and it is very stiff. I think it may be a little over powered for 1/4 oz baits. I also have a 2012 legend extreme 7' medium f, but I haven't used it enough to know if it is what your are looking for. The mh xf legend extreme would probably be great for anything 3/8 oz or up.

Have the same LTB rod Tyler and I agree with you. Not the right rod for 1/4 ounce baits. It says 'finesse jig' on the model that I have, so I thought why not try throw a 1/4 ounce jig on it. Guess we got our differences on what 'finesse' means. St. Croix's are known to be stouter than there rating compared to other companies. My 7'MHXF St. Croix is only rated down to 5/16 ounce so 1/4 ounce would be using it outside its intended use. I will say I love St. Croix's XF actions, they are a joy to use and set hooks with.

[bigfishbk86]

The new series of LTB'S does NOT have the same tip heavy problem the previous years did. I fished the 7'3" MH LTB (2012 model) all year and it is not tip heavy at all. My old LTB's, yes VERY tip heavy. I say you save the money and get the 7'1" MF LTB. I won't say trust me, but i own numerous extremes and LTB's, and the new LTB is a very nice rod.

[iabass8]

The new series of LTB'S does NOT have the same tip heavy problem the previous years did. I fished the 7'3" MH LTB (2012 model) all year and it is not tip heavy at all. My old LTB's, yes VERY tip heavy. I say you save the money and get the 7'1" MF LTB. I won't say trust me, but i own numerous extremes and LTB's, and the new LTB is a very nice rod.

The new LTB is a nice rod. However, a few of their rods in the series are incredibly tip heavy. the 7'1 MH/F for example is a fine rod but it is one of the most tip heavy rods in the series. i've put 9.5oz reels on it just to see if it made a difference and it still felt god awful. I felt the 7'3 was a bit tip heavy but not terribly. I've sold most of my legend tournaments due to the fact that they just aren't comfortable in comparison to the upper end st. croixs and have mostly xtremes/NRX/dobyns as of now. The two rods that I won't switch however are the 2012 7'MF and the 2012 7' MHM. Love these rods to death in the tournament series.

[The Next KVD]

You guys do know there is a way to get past the tip heavyness right?? I buy those rubber folding chair tips in the diameter that I need to fit over the rear grip and insert quarters in it until the rod balances at the middle of the reel seat with the reel attached. Not only do you not feel the added wieght, it will actually feel lighter, but the sensitivity of the rod increases because its balanced. Plus its cheap ($1-2 for the chair tips plus quarters) and actually does not look too bad on the rod.

[dam0007]

@ The next kvd

Lol that made me think of back in the day putting a nickle on the needle of a record player to keep it from skipping... Dam I just dated myself smh lmao

[skeletor6]

You guys do know there is a way to get past the tip heavyness right?? I buy those rubber folding chair tips in the diameter that I need to fit over the rear grip and insert quarters in it until the rod balances at the middle of the reel seat with the reel attached. Not only do you not feel the added wieght, it will actually feel lighter, but the sensitivity of the rod increases because its balanced. Plus its cheap ($1-2 for the chair tips plus quarters) and actually does not look too bad on the rod.

What's the point of buying a rod over $200 if you have to add weight to the buttsection? I feel that if I am spending that much money on a rod then it better balance right without any modifications made.

[DaveT63]

I can't speak to the 2012/2013 models, but I have a slightly older (10 or 11) Xtreme 7'MF that I use for light texas rigs and finesse jigs, and I LOVE it. Probably my favorite rod of any I've ever used. If the newer ones have been improved, then they have got to be great rods.

[Caulfield722]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'll end up going with the 7' MF. Does anybody have any experience with the 7'4" HF LTB? I know its labeled as a swim jig rod but I handled one at Bass Pro and the action and length seem like it would make a good pitchin' stick for jigs 3/8 and 1/2 ounce.

[The Next KVD]

What's the point of buying a rod over $200 if you have to add weight to the buttsection? I feel that if I am spending that much money on a rod then it better balance right without any modifications made.

I have YET to find a rod in ANY price range that balances PERFECTLY in the middle of the reel seat. You can not honestly tell me that the balance of the rod is not going to change when you put two different reels that weigh different on the same rod and have it balance at the exact same spot. Yes a rod over $200 should balance CLOSE to the reel seat but you will NEVER find one that balances right in the middle of it where your hand is when palming the reel. I don't own a rod that did not need some weight added to achieve this. I got plenty of G Loomis GLX's, St. Croix LTB, St. Croix Legend Extremes, a few Shimano Crucials, a Duckett and a couple of Garcia Veritas all with wieght added. The only rods that I own that don't have this modification is ones that have been custom made for myself but those have lead shoved up and epoxied in the butt end of the blank.

All I can say is don't knock it till you try it. Its a quick and cheap experiment to try on one of your rods. Try it and than come back and tell me if your rods don't feel better/lighter after doing this. I have yet to have anyone not pick up a rod on the deck of my boat and not be impressed enough to go do it to all of their rods.

Caulfield722 sorry for kinda hyjacking your post. All ment with good intentions and was kinda related to some of the stuff being discussed.

[skeletor6]

I have YET to find a rod in ANY price range that balances PERFECTLY in the middle of the reel seat. You can not honestly tell me that the balance of the rod is not going to change when you put two different reels that weigh different on the same rod and have it balance at the exact same spot. Yes a rod over $200 should balance CLOSE to the reel seat but you will NEVER find one that balances right in the middle of it where your hand is when palming the reel. I don't own a rod that did not need some weight added to achieve this. I got plenty of G Loomis GLX's, St. Croix LTB, St. Croix Legend Extremes, a few Shimano Crucials, a Duckett and a couple of Garcia Veritas all with wieght added. The only rods that I own that don't have this modification is ones that have been custom made for myself but those have lead shoved up and epoxied in the butt end of the blank.

All I can say is don't knock it till you try it. Its a quick and cheap experiment to try on one of your rods. Try it and than come back and tell me if your rods don't feel better/lighter after doing this. I have yet to have anyone not pick up a rod on the deck of my boat and not be impressed enough to go do it to all of their rods.

Caulfield722 sorry for kinda hyjacking your post. All ment with good intentions and was kinda related to some of the stuff being discussed.

Your points are valid. Not every rod has perfect balance, but some sure do balance better than others. And there are certain rods that it seems like reels were destined to be on. I have similar reels that iabass8 has, and he has given me great advice on what rods balance well with these reels. I've found his information to be correct every time. I am not able to get my hands on as many rods as he has, So his information and experience is vital to me. The reel you intend to use should definitely be factored into the decision of how it balances with your rod. All reels weigh different, thus will cause the rod to balance differently.

It's related to Caulfield's decision. As iabass8 has mentioned, some of the rods are more tip heavy than other's. Some to the point where even an 9.5 ounce reel would not correct the problem. Caulfield has to make the decision of whether he wants to purchase a rod that he knows is going to be tip heavy or one that is known to balance well. If I was stuck with a rod that was tip heavy and I wanted to correct the problem then I would go for your method, that is, only if I did not have a reel that corrected the problem and did not have means of selling it.

My point is that Caulfield is looking to buy a new rod. I personally, do not find it a wise decision for him to buy a rod that he knows is going to not balance well. Why buy a rod that you are going to have to have to modify just to get it to balance well, when you can just buy a rod that you will not have to modify? Especially in his price range.

The weight of the reel of course changes how a rod balances, I never once said it does not. That is why many people will only buy rods in person. They want to see how the rod balances with the reel they are using to see if it will balance the way they like. When buying online this can be a problem, that is why it helps to seek advice from members on the forum who have used these rods with the reels you have and hear their feedback.

My whole point to Caulfield, is that he should choose a rod that he knows does not have balance issues. He is looking at buying a very nice, high priced rod, in return he deserves one that is going to balance well for him and his reel without modification.

[Caulfield722]

Your points are valid. Not every rod has perfect balance, but some sure do balance better than others. And there are certain rods that it seems like reels were destined to be on. I have similar reels that iabass8 has, and he has given me great advice on what rods balance well with these reels. I've found his information to be correct every time. I am not able to get my hands on as many rods as he has, So his information and experience is vital to me. The reel you intend to use should definitely be factored into the decision of how it balances with your rod. All reels weigh different, thus will cause the rod to balance differently.

It's related to Caulfield's decision. As iabass8 has mentioned, some of the rods are more tip heavy than other's. Some to the point where even an 9.5 ounce reel would not correct the problem. Caulfield has to make the decision of whether he wants to purchase a rod that he knows is going to be tip heavy or one that is known to balance well. If I was stuck with a rod that was tip heavy and I wanted to correct the problem then I would go for your method, that is, only if I did not have a reel that corrected the problem and did not have means of selling it.

My point is that Caulfield is looking to buy a new rod. I personally, do not find it a wise decision for him to buy a rod that he knows is going to not balance well. Why buy a rod that you are going to have to have to modify just to get it to balance well, when you can just buy a rod that you will not have to modify? Especially in his price range.

The weight of the reel of course changes how a rod balances, I never once said it does not. That is why many people will only buy rods in person. They want to see how the rod balances with the reel they are using to see if it will balance the way they like. When buying online this can be a problem, that is why it helps to seek advice from members on the forum who have used these rods with the reels you have and hear their feedback.

My whole point to Caulfield, is that he should choose a rod that he knows does not have balance issues. He is looking at buying a very nice, high priced rod, in return he deserves one that is going to balance well for him and his reel without modification.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Hi Salenity]

The rod your talking about weighs 5.5 oz the same rod in the LTB "Tournament" series weighs 4.4 oz

I think they are missing the mark on the new Extremes HOWEVER, haven't used one.

I just wanted to say I was wrong. I got a 7'ml extreme and it's awesome. the difference was noticeable enough I ended up returning my 7'ml Tournament.

Now I want to switch all my rods out.

[JeziHogg]

All I use are St Croix rods and have a mix of 25 Extremes, LTBs, and MBs, and personally I perfer to use the LT's.

[ripinthem]

The new Extreme intrigues me. Have been a Gloomis guy, but might have to look at them..